1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solderless pin connection utilizing a press fit pin staked within a hole printed with polymer thick film.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional printed circuit boards are manufactured by applying a layer of copper to a substrate and then etching the desired circuit into the layer of copper. This subtractive manufacturing process is step intensive and results in wasted materials. A perceived advantage of copper is its ability to maintain a soldered connection for electrical and mechanical connections. Staking a pin into a multi-processed copper plated through hole may result in a solder-free joint.
Soldered connections require additional complex and costly manufacturing steps and may result in unreliable connections. Waste from the soldering and plating processes is hazardous to the environment and expensive to dispose of safely. Further, manufacture of the plated through hole requires a lengthy process with many steps, including a drilled hole, that are critical to achieving a sound electrical connection. This lengthy plating process, combined with the assembly of the pin, may jeopardize the integrity of the plated through hole.